H.S. Soccer: Middletown Realizing Potential That Coach Saw Years Ago

When Middletown High boys coach Sal Emanuele said on Sunday that he knew this year's team had the potential to be good, he wasn't recalling some prediction he made last season.

He was talking about an assessment he made nearly six years ago as coach at Woodrow Wilson Middle School.

"I coached some of these players in middle school, and I knew they were quality players," Emanuele said. "The talent was always there."

Behind the senior trio of midfielder Umberto Spada, forward Joey Pizzuto and midfielder Thomas DiMauro, the Blue Dragons have lived up to their coach's billing and started 6-0-1.

"It's a motivated group," Emanuele said. "The kids are confident. Their goal is to win the division [CCC South], and if we continue to have the right approach and stay healthy, we can do it."

In 2010, Emanuele, who played at Coginchaug High in Durham, left Woodrow Wilson to coach Middletown, where he is a physical education teacher. But it wasn't a quick fix. In his second full season with the program, the Blue Dragons had just one win, with Spada, Pizzuoto and DiMauro starting as freshmen. But instead of getting scared away by the difficult year, the players came back to the coaching staff, which included Pizzuto's uncle Tony and freshman coach Bob Francis, motivated to be better.

"Knowing the kids, it didn't surprise me," Emanuele said. "I knew they'd be focused on getting better. They believed in themselves, and they believed in the fact that they were going to improve."

Middletown went on to qualify for the postseason the next two seasons, winning six games in 2012 and nine games last season.

Along with Pizzuto's eight goals, the group has been sparked by the play of Chris Rodo in net, center backs Kyle Bonvouloir and Matteo Cavaliere, and midfielder Anthony Musumeci. Joseph Marino and outside backs Zak D'Amico and Daniel Gonzalez have also played important roles.

"We've come a long way, and it comes down to the dedication of the kids and the hard work and their perseverance," Emanuele said.

Farmington Stays Unbeaten

After falling behind by a goal in the first 10 minutes of the second half against Hall-West Hartford on Saturday in a CCC West game, Farmington scored three unanswered goals to win 3-1 and stay unbeaten in the division. The first goal by Evan Hughes came off a volley from outside the box that dipped over the goalie's head. The second from Marcos Rodriguez came off a counter, and the third by Jared Edelson on a set piece. Both teams entered the game unbeaten.

"Those three goals were the three things we worked on in training Friday [because of the turf field in West Hartford]," Farmington coach Steve Waters said. "We just kept doing those things."

Farmington, which won its second straight Class L title in 2013, is 7-0 and the top team in the Class LL/L coaches poll. The Indians will play in the Class LL tournament this season.

"We're not even taking about the three [titles], it is just one game at a time," Waters said.

Girls: Bobcats Get Long-Awaited Win

Glastonbury's record run of unbeaten seasons is over.

Amy McConnell scored with five minutes left and Hanna Basile had 12 saves to help South Windsor beat Glastonbury 5-4 last Tuesday for Glastonbury's first regular season loss since 2007. The Bobcats last beat Glastonbury in 2007, too.

"I thought the groundwork was set in the quarterfinal game last year [a loss to Glastonbury]," South Windsor coach Ed Duclos said. "This year's team just broke through. We had the confidence we could play with them and the confidence to do whatever it takes. ... Really, our tenacity and grittiness is what we're going to bring to every game."

Glastonbury beat South Windsor in penalty kicks in the Class LL tournament last season. The Bobcats tied Glastonbury twice in 2011.

South Windsor (7-0) took a 2-1 lead early in first half and then a 3-2 lead at halftime. Glastonbury (6-1) scored two goals to start the first 10 minutes of the second half to make it 4-3.

The victory bodes well for the Bobcats' hopes this season. South Windsor, the only team in the CCC with a perfect record, believes it is capable of competing for a state title.

"Right now, we're exactly where we hoped we would be, and we have a lot of work in front of us if we want to accomplish what we know we can accomplish," Duclos said. "If we can stay injury free, we have all the parts."

South Windsor is led by a collection of players including Sam Faust, Becca Russo, Colleen Bouquout, Lauren Biancardi and Danielle Karpiej. Duclos says the group has the ability to pressure more teams this season and a strong bench, too. South Windsor started the season with a big win over RHAM of Hebron.

"To open the season like that, we thought we had something special this year," Duclos said.